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Q & A: Microsoft Word Pushes the Envelope

By J.d. Biersdorfer March 4, 2009 5:46 amMarch 4, 2009 5:46 am

How do you print addresses on envelopes with Microsoft Word, and do you need a special printer?

Microsoft Word’s envelopes tool can lift an address from that business letter you’ve just banged out and place it neatly on the front of an envelope for you. (You can also just type in an address to use without having to write a letter first.)

To use the feature with a standard business letter in most versions of the program, go to Word’s Tools menu. On a Windows system, go to Letters and Mailings and then to the Envelopes and Labels submenu; on the Mac, just go to the Tools menu to Envelopes. The recipient’s address from the letter should be in the Delivery Address area of the box.

If you have a return address in the document, it should be in the Return Address field. If you’re not using the regular format for business letters or just want to print an envelope, just type the addresses into the appropriate fields in the Envelopes box. (In some versions of Word, you can also add electronic postage to the envelope here as well if you use an e-stamps service.)

Once you have your addresses in place, click on the Options or Page Setup button to select the proper envelope size for printing. Most standard printers should be able to handle envelope printing. You may have to adjust the plastic guides on the paper tray and manually feed the envelope through the printer before you click the Print button. Check your printer’s manual or online support site for details.

The Envelopes dialog box may also give you a preview and show you which direction to feed the envelope through the printer.

Microsoft has a free online training session that shows how to make envelopes and labels in Word here.

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